Minister for Arts Heather Humphreys confirmed that she has added a surrender letter written by Pádraig Pearse to the Register of Cultural Objects after it failed to sell at auction.

Under Section 48 of the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997, this will delay the issuing of an export licence for the letter for a year.

The letter was withdrawn from auction in recent weeks after it failed to reach the guide price of €1.5 million. The Department received a request for an export licence for the letter.

Speaking today Minister Humphreys said: “When my Department was informed that this letter was to be put up for sale, my officials consulted with the relevant cultural institutions and it was agreed that the price being sought was too high, especially considering that a number of other Pearse letters are already held by the National Library, the National Museum and the National Archives.

“I remain of the view that the guide price on this letter is too high. However, I have taken the decision to add the letter to the Register of Cultural Objects, given its heritage value. Adding the letter to the Register effectively delays the granting of an export licence for the letter for one year. This will provide some space and time, when other potential buyers may come forward and I think it is the right thing to do in this case."